The Mediterranean and Asia are considered to be the birthplace of this root crop. In Russia, the radish appeared only in the 12th century and immediately became one of the most beloved vegetables. Currently, there are several varieties of radish that differ in shape, color, root size. Today we will talk about the best varieties of this vegetable and its characteristics.
About culture
This vegetable crop is highly valued for its healing and nutritional properties. Regardless of the variety, the radish contains a huge amount of mineral s alts necessary for the human body. The composition of root crops includes an average of 1.9% protein, 1.8% sugar, they are rich in vitamins C and B, fiber, essential oils. The radish contains sulfur, potassium, magnesium, bromine, iodine, ash substances, carbohydrates.
In addition to its high nutritional value, this vegetable is also a medicine. Radish juice has bactericidal properties due to the fact that it contains lysozyme, which inhibits the growth of fungi, various bacteria and protozoa. In addition, radish juice helpsrestore the immune system in winter and spring.
Varieties
The vegetable belongs to the cruciferous family, as do turnips, cabbages and radishes. In our country, varieties of European species with different ripening periods are widely used for cultivation. But more and more often, other types of radish can be found in the garden of vegetable growers: Japanese daikon, Chinese loba.
All varieties of radish can be divided into winter and summer. They differ in color, size, shape of root crops and ripening time. Winter can be stored throughout the year in the basement or cellar. Summer ones are eaten only fresh, they are not stored for storage.
Early varieties of radish:
- Green Goddess;
- Delicacy;
- May;
- Munich bier;
- Odesskaya 5.
Mid-ripening varieties:
- Winter round white;
- Gaivoronskaya;
- Wonderful;
- Winter long black;
- Sudarushka;
- Winter round black.
Late varieties:
- Gayvoronskaya 27;
- Healer;
- Chernavka;
- Negress.
Japanese radish - daikon. A relatively new vegetable crop in the gardens of our vegetable growers is the daikon radish. There are several varieties that differ in terms of ripening:
- Sasha - early ripe variety;
- Dragon, Dubinushka - mid-season varieties;
- Japanese white long - late variety.
Chinese radish - Loba. Another novelty among vegetable crops in our country. The following varieties of radish are distinguished: Ladushka, Zaryevo, Severyanka - early ripening, Hostess - mid-ripening.
Black radish
This vegetable crop is not a variety. This is a variety that has varieties of late, medium and early sowing. A distinctive feature of this species is the dark-colored peel and the pungent taste of the pulp. She fell in love with many gardeners for her high yield, useful properties and spicy taste.
Winter Long Black
Another variety of winter radish. Elongated roots have a black tint, weight - up to 400 g. The pulp inside is fibrous, crispy, white. You can eat both immediately after harvesting, and after long-term storage in the cellar.
Winter round black
We bring to your attention a photo of the winter round black radish variety. The variety is mid-season, the duration of the growing season is 110 days. Root crops of this variety are rich in dry matter and ascorbic acid. Their keeping quality is quite high: it is 80-90%. Black radish is extremely beneficial for he alth, increases the body's resistance to various diseases. Grown specifically for winter and autumn consumption.
Divnaya
Radish round shape and black, weighing no more than 350 g. The flesh is dense, snow-white, without voids. Sowing should be done in June to harvest before frost. Has a long shelf life, after winter storage incellar does not lose its flavor properties.
Healer
Recently developed variety, bred for commercial purposes. The root crop has a beautiful round shape with a black skin, crispy flesh inside. The variety of radish has high medicinal properties and excellent yield, which allows the vegetable grower not only to compensate for losses, but also to make a good profit.
Green radish
We offer you an overview of varieties of green radish. It should be noted that this product is inferior to black radish in terms of nutritional value. However, in the treatment of diseases of the joints, radiculitis, gout, these root crops help much better than black varieties.
Green Goddess
A relatively recent variety of green radish varieties. Root crops have a round shape, green color. The taste of the pulp is tender, crispy, with a slight spiciness. The Green Goddess has a high content of mineral s alts, useful microelements, amino acids. Vegetables can be stored for a long time. Recommended for use by children and the elderly.
Margelan (summer)
This variety of Chinese radish has another name - loba. Her homeland is Asia. Early maturing variety. Sowing seeds should be done in July. The root crop is short (9-16 cm), weighing up to 400 g, cylindrical in shape, dark green in color with a white tip. The pulp is juicy, light green in color, has excellent taste, almost without bitterness.
Alita
Radish of early ripe varieties. Ripening occurs 65 days after the appearanceseedlings. The form of root crops is epileptic, their diameter is 10 cm, weight ranges from 200 to 400 g. Green radish has a sweet taste, with a barely noticeable hint of spiciness, the flesh is very juicy. Radish is unpretentious in cultivation and personal care.
Varieties of white radish
The main advantage of this type of radish is that it enhances and maintains immunity. Root vegetables of white radish have a very sharp taste. All white varieties form elongated or rounded roots. Among the vegetable crops of this species, several of the best can be distinguished. Let's take a closer look at them.
Odesskaya 5
Very early maturing variety, the growing season is quite short, ranging from one to one and a half months. Root crops of an oval-conical form, with a run down, with very gentle, juicy pulp of white color. Valued for its taste. The weight of root crops is not too large, varies from 50 to 100 g. From an area of \u200b\u200bone square. m you can harvest 5-7 kg. Not subject to long-term storage, recommended for summer crops.
Gaivoronskaya
One of the mid-late varieties. From germination to the end of fruiting, about 112 days pass. The root crop has a cylindrical-conical shape, white color. According to the description of the variety, the radish has dense pulp, low juiciness, white color, with a very spicy taste. The radish of the Gayvoron variety has a high keeping quality, shows a high yield, the variety is very resistant to flowering and frost. From one sq. m you can get a crop of up to 8 kg. It is recommended to add radish of this variety to dishes to give them a “vigorousness”, for eating raw andit will be too spicy for salads.
Winter round white
One of the popular varieties, has high medicinal properties. Root crops can have an elongated oval shape or be slightly flattened. The growing season is long, 80-100 days. The pulp is juicy, firm, spicy in taste. It can be stored in the cellar for a long time, while not losing its taste.
Japanese radish
This vegetable is also called daikon. It has a pleasant taste, has high healing properties, and is unpretentious in care. With good care, the daikon grows to a fairly large size - 60 cm in length, 10 cm in diameter. Misato, one of the varieties of daikon - pink in color, has a very unusual attractive appearance. By the way, the daikon can be eaten not only by the root itself, but also by other parts of the plant.
Despite the huge variety of species of this vegetable crop, the best varieties of radish among gardeners are:
- Winter black;
- Odesskaya 5;
- Winter white;
- Margelan.
How to grow a radish
Radish is considered a rather cold-resistant plant. The optimum temperature for growing all varieties of radish is considered to be up to +18 degrees. When grown in too warm climates during extreme heat, root vegetables become smaller, coarser and more pungent in taste.
The seeds of this vegetable crop should be sown at the following times:
- late April - early May - summervarieties;
- mid-June - mid-July - winter varieties.
Seeds are sown in grooves, deepen them into the soil by 2-3 cm. The distance between the strips should be at least 15-20 cm. After the seeds have been sown, they must be mulched with humus or peat and be sure to water. As soon as the first sprouts appear, if there is such a need, the seedlings are thinned out. By choosing a spacious planting for growing, you will provide the plants with a good feeding area and give the opportunity to form larger root crops.
Thinning
Regardless of the variety of radish, it (like other root crops) needs thinning. The first is carried out when 2-3 true leaves appear on the plants, at a distance of about 6 cm between the seedlings. During the second, a distance of 10-12 cm or more is left between the sprouts. In the event that the seedlings are planted too densely, most of the plants will give flowering shoots, the resulting roots are unsuitable for food.
Soil
For growing radish, you should choose fertile sandy and loamy soil, which should have a neutral reaction. Poor yields are shown by a vegetable crop planted on heavy soils, in areas where the groundwater level is high.
Radish can be planted in dense plantings along with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, sown next to turnips or radishes. In the event that you want to re-sow this crop in the summer, in no case should you sow it in beds wherepredecessors were other representatives of cruciferous crops, such as early cabbage or radish.
Irrigation
If the plants are not provided with full watering (they are difficult to tolerate moisture deficiency), root crops grow bitter and small. In order to grow vegetables with good taste - juicy and not too spicy, during the period of their formation, air and soil humidity should be maintained at 70%. Please note: if you water the soil abundantly after a long drought, root crops are likely to crack. That is why the beds must be kept moist, not allowed to dry out.
Pests
One of the main pests of this vegetable crop is the cruciferous flea. If you saw that the leaves on the radish became openwork, then this insect attacked it. If you do not take urgent measures, you can lose the entire crop, as the damaged leaves dry out very quickly, the plants either die completely, or form very small, non-standard root crops. Good performance in the fight against cruciferous flea shows pollination with wood ash in combination with tobacco dust.
